A card skimmer was found on an ATM at the Pilot Gas Station on Route 422 in Portersville. Anyone concerned that they could have been victimized, should contact the police and the bank or financial institution.

Card skimmers are only one of many ways people can get your most private digits.

A card skimmer — which is used to illegally steal people's debit or credit card information — was found at an automated banking machine at the Pilot Travel Center in Muddy Creek Township, police said last week.

Pilot's external communications specialist Stephanie Myers responded to the discovery in a statement.

“We immediately contacted authorities as soon as we were notified of the issue,” Myers said. “We are continuing to work closely with authorities and our ATM provider.”

Myers said anyone concerned that they may be victimized should immediately contact the local police and their bank or financial institution.

Caitlin Driscoll, public relations director of the Better Business Bureau of Western Pennsylvania, said the most important thing is for people to monitor their finances.

“With credit card skimming and credit card scams in general, it's extremely important for people to be aware and check their financial statements on a consistent basis,” Driscoll said.

Driscoll said skimmers have become increasingly discrete, but there are still telltale signs that a card reader has been tampered with.

“If the reader seems a little different from you're used to or bulkier, then try and give it a little wiggle,” Driscoll said.

She also recommends not using stand-alone ATMs, and instead those monitored by a bank or credit union.

Driscoll said another way to avoid skimming specifically is by making sure your card is up-to-date.

“Upgrade your card,” she said. “I think a lot of financial institutions are upgrading to the chips in most cards.”

Scammers typically need to make a replica card and matching fake identification to use the stolen information, according to Driscoll.

The chip creates a unique signature for each purchase, which makes it harder for scammers to replicate, while the magnetic strips are constant and easier to counterfeit.

Driscoll said the scary part is that skimmers are only one of many known ways for scammers to steal credit and debit card information.

“Even if you make that change to your card, it's not going to stop all instances of credit card fraud,” Driscoll said. “Scammers are always coming up with new and different tactics to target people. Especially when it comes along the lines of getting gas at a station or getting money at an ATM it's easy for people to assume they're not going to get scammed by doing those simple kinds of tasks.”

She said fake online stores offering unbelievably cheap deals may actually send you that pair of cool sunglasses, but you may be paying more than what you originally intended. She said scams over the phone are popular for scammers too. She said people can also get credit card information by hacking into your computer or your phone.

“If you're doing things online outside of your home, make sure you're doing things on a secure connection,” Driscoll said.

Driscoll said when in doubt about the seller, it's always safer to use a credit card because you'll be risking money on credit rather than real money in your account.

“A debit card is directly connected to your checking account or your savings account, depending on how you set it up,” Driscoll said.

She said credit card companies are a little easier to work with on fraudulent charges too, because the transactions aren't completed immediately.

Driscoll said whether dealing with a credit company or a bank, if you see fraudulent charges. She said call the police and call your financial institution to file a report one whatever charges you did not make. She said it may take time to get your money back, and it may improve the odds in the scammer's capture.

“The sooner you do, then the better recourse you'll have,” Driscoll said.